This invention relates to a day planner for holding calendar pages, papers, notes, cards, etc., which includes a separate compartment for holding photographs. More particularly, the present invention provides a day planner that has front and back covers that are attached to a central spine. The interior of the day planner is partitioned by a divider into a pair of compartments, one of which includes a binder for securing calendar pages, notes, addresses, etc. and the other of which includes a plurality of photo album pages. Additionally, fasteners and closures are provided for keeping each compartment closed and for securing the contents of each compartment in the planner.
In the past there have been day planners and the like that have included binders for holding calendar pages, addresses , etc. Typically, these planners are equipped with additional features such as pockets for holding business cards, credit cards, etc. as well as additional items such as a note pad or pens and pencils. Planners such as these have been designed with the goal of helping their users to "get organized" and have proved invaluable to many people in the business world. Accordingly, these types of planners have become almost ubiquitous in the corporate world, their popularity and acceptance growing to the point that they are as common in the business world as the briefcase. Some manufacturer's of these types of planners, and even some schools as well, have gone so far as to offer courses in the most constructive and efficient use of them. An example of this type of planner is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,908 to Domey et al. which discloses an information management system consisting of specialized calendar and note pages that are replaceable and are held within a ring-type binder.
Also well known are many ways of storing and displaying photographs in a binder or folio, such as a photo album. Typically, prior art photo albums consist of a plurality of "pages" that include a translucent plastic facing. Thus, the photos may be placed under the facing thereby protecting them from fingerprints, dust, etc. while still allowing them to be easily viewed. Often times, in order to facilitate insertion and arrangement of the photographs, these pages are separated into individual sleeves that are shaped to accommodate a single photograph. An example of a photo album of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 344,096 to Tan which discloses a photo album having photo album pages with sleeves for storing individual photographs. The photo album pages of the Tan invention are secured in a ring-type binder and are protected by front and back covers that may be releasably secured together by a tab-type fastener.
Now, with the growing amount of business that is accomplished "on the go" and the advent of the "virtual office", increasing numbers of corporate workers are finding themselves unleashed from the standard office environment complete with the big desk, the credenza, and the obligatory framed family photos and snapshots. Thus, these on the go businesspeople have found a need to carry around personal photographs of family in an easily accessible area. Needless to say, due to the increasing popularity of the above-mentioned personal organizer type day planners and the fact that these planners are almost always found in close proximity to their owners, these planners have become the preferred location for placing family photographs. This practice is not without its share of problems, though. For one, the pictures are usually just stuck in any convenient area in the planner, usually between pages in the calendar, and are not very well protected. This generally leads to the pictures becoming tattered and ruined. Also, the pictures so placed are susceptible to sliding out of the planner and can subsequently become lost or damaged. Furthermore, the planner can become a jumbled mess of pictures and other items, contributing to the disorganization that the planner was originally meant to solve.
One way to solve this problem would be to include photo sleeves or photo album pages in the binder with the calendar pages. However, these photos would still be subject to some every day wear and tear from the constant use of the calendar pages. Additionally, in some circumstances the display of personal pictures can be thought to be unprofessional, while in other circumstances, they can be used advantageously as a way to "break the ice" or to place a business relationship on a more personal level. Thus, while it is desired to have the pictures in an accessible place at all times, it is also desired to be able to isolate them in an area where they are safe from harm and cannot be seen.
Accordingly, there is a need for a product which combines the benefits of a planner with the attributes of a photo album. For example, it would be desirable to have a product which is capable of holding calendar pages, papers, notes, cards, etc., and which includes a separate compartment for holding photographs. More particularly, it would be desirable to have a day planner that has one compartment including a binder for securing calendar pages, notes, etc. that is separated by a divider from a second compartment which is designed for holding photo album pages. Preferably, each of the two compartments could be individually closed so that each compartment could be separately accessed without the need to open the other compartment. In this way, privacy with respect to the photo compartment could be maintained if access to the planner was required in a business setting where personal pictures would be found inappropriate. Furthermore, the fragile photos in the photo compartment would be protected from exposure to the constant wear and tear caused by use of the calendar compartment. In a preferred embodiment, a zippered gusset would be provided around the calendar compartment so that small pieces of paper such as notes, addresses, etc. as well as pens and pencils would be captured when the gusset is zippered shut thus preventing their loss.